


All About Emily

by greengirl82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Altered Mental States, Drama, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multiple Personalities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-01
Updated: 2012-08-20
Packaged: 2017-11-08 23:30:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/448760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greengirl82/pseuds/greengirl82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily's ready to return to the BAU following her integration of her alternate personalities. How will she cope with her return? Sequel to The Three Faces Of Emily</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Emily At Wellstone

"Let your tears come. Let them water your soul." Eileen Mayhew

* * *

Emily sighed, leaning up against the headboard of her small bed. She could hear the nipping coming from her left and looked over to see her roommate, Amy, biting at her nails.

That was one habit that Emily had been able to curb since she voluntarily checked herself into the Wellstone Facility. Or as her doctor would say, _'A small retreat from the worries of the world.'_

Clearing her throat, she noted the way that Amy continually bit on the tip of her nail, and Emily had to resist the urge to rip the young woman's finger from her mouth. She could proudly say she was finally free of that habit.

Now the matter of her alters, that was a different story. Millie and Mia, they didn't want to give up control, nor were they making it easy on her either.

She learned from Dr. Rubin that Mia was beyond pissed that she didn't get released, so much so that during her hypnosis she about near took an orderlies head off when she was about to be put back in.

Emily felt hesitant about doing the hypnosis, she was afraid that it would cause more damage to the progress she was making at keeping the two volatile personalities in control. She was assured by her doctor that he could put the two very unique and combative alters back in.

From what she knew about Dissociative Identity Disorder, there was still a lot she didn't know. Her alters were very much different from Adam Jackson or Tobias Hankel.

When she was under and her doctor had performed the cognitive interviews with the two different personalities, what their functions were, and how they pertain to Emily's psyche.

After several sessions with her doctor, Emily had been able to grasp the understanding of her condition and though she had worried about the integration failing, because she had read about a several of them not being successful and the alters resuming control.

But either way she was relieved to be able to head home soon.

A knock pulled the two women from their separate inner turmoils. She smiled when she seen their nurse Melinda standing at the door.

"Ladies, time for your medicine" Melinda said, "And time for group."

Emily set down her notebook, taking her anxiety medication, "Do I still get my one on one time with the doc?"

"I think so" Melinda told her, "Probably later this afternoon after Peter's."

Emily placed her journal in her desk, and zipped up her hoodie sweater, "Amy, it's time for group."

Amy threw down her Hello Kitty plush doll, causing Emily to roll her eyes. Her roommate was nineteen but had the personality of a ten year old.

That thought made Emily briefly miss Hotch and Jack, she wasn't allowed to have visitors while she was in treatment.

But that didn't stop the team or more specifically, Hotch and Garcia from video chatting, emailing and sending letters. She just hoped that they'd still want her, that Hotch would still want her.

 _'Who'd want to date a mentally ill chick?'_ Emily asked herself.

Shaking at the thought that now since she'd been fully integrated, Dr. Rubin told her that she pertain some of her alters mannerisms and behaviors.

The sarcastic attitude, that she had always prided as her own, was all Mia's. The compartmentalizing she had that made her a proficient and respected agent? That was all Millie's.

Those two facets about herself, where never really hers. But her doctor said, that those character traits were always hers, that Millie and Mia were just different aspects of her personality.

However, not all of the memories would fully return to her of what she'd done while Mia and Millie were in control, and that was one thing that shook her. Never knowing what she was responsible for. Shaking her head at that thought, she knew she needed to live in the present, not the past.

The two women walked into the day room, watching their fellow inmates, sitting in the unified circle.

"There you two are" Dr. Rubin said with a smile, "We're just about to send out a search party."

Emily chuckled as she took a seat next to her favorite doctor.

"Well now, group it's time to make a big announcement" Dr. Rubin told the group, "Emily here will soon be out."

"What?" a man said, "Why does she get to leave before me? I've been here longer."

"Andrew, your illness is different from Emily's" Dr. Rubin said, "And if you want to be released you have to participate in your treatment. Emily has made a tremendous step forward."

"For a girl with three different personalities" Andrew said, "Do you think someone who has two other people living in her head really ready to be unleashed on the world?"

Emily winced at that, that was one of her fears. Not being accepted back by her friends, the team. Or Hotch.

"Andrew" Dr. Rubin said, "You know the rules about upsetting your group."

"This group bites" Andrew barked out, getting louder while Barry rushed over with a few other security guards, "Look at her, they know Emily. They all know. You think any of them are going to be thrilled with you? Welcome to crazy town population you."

Emily closed her eyes, doing her breathing exercises. _'One, two, three...'_

A warm hand on her shoulder, caused her to open her eyes, and no one else was in the day room.

"I didn't have another blackout, did I?" Emily asked, she could feel the pounding on her head, but hoped it was only a headache.

"No, I cleared out the room, for your comfort" her doctor told her, "Would you like to talk in here or in my office?"

Sighing, "Here's fine" Emily said licking her lips, "Are you sure, I'm really ready to go home?"

The doctor gave Emily a reassuring smile, "Absolutely Emily, I have no doubt that you're ready to have outpatient treatment."

Emily bit her lower lip, "How can you be so sure when I'm not even sure?"

Her doctor took a seat next to her, "Emily, you're following all the regimens. You're taking your medication and you're expressing your emotions. All that compartmentalizing you do, that's great for when you're working but it's not really much of a help in every other aspect in life, is it?"

"No" Emily replied shaking her head, "But how, how do I get them to forgive me?"

"Your friends love you" the doctor told her, "You just need to maintain that honest and open communication with them. Don't try and focus on fixing them, your job is to focus on your well being."

"I'll try my best" Emily said, "So when do I get sprung from the nut hut? Just kidding."

"We wrap up the rest of your therapy and get everything transitioned for outpatient treatment" Dr. Rubin told her, "You can be out of her by early Saturday morning."

"And when can I get back to work?" Emily asked.

"Well that's up to your Unit Chief, Section Chief and the Bureau psychiatrist" the doctor informed her, "We'll need to closely monitor your medication and stress in the field. We don't want certain cases triggering a relapse."

Emily took a deep breath, "Ok."

"I think the Bureau doctor will mandate guidelines for you to follow along with progress reports" he told her, "We'll go over the rest before your release. Do you want to go call Aaron?"

Emily smiled, "Are we done?"

"For now" the doctor told her seeing her grin, "We'll work on checking on the integration tomorrow."

"Ok" Emily said getting up as she shoved her hands in her pocket, turning around, "Thank you, Dr. Rubin. For all your help."

"No problem, Emily" the doctor said, "And please how many times do I have to tell you to call me Richard?"

"Richard" Emily said, "I'll see you next session."

Emily hurried over to the small group of phone booths, she rolled her eyes when she saw another patient there.  
Talking to her imaginary boyfriend again.

Reaching in, she pulled the phone from her hand, "You can talk to Leo later, I need the phone."

"Hmph" Sheila muttered as Emily pushed her out of the small box.

Taping her fingers on the buttons, she inhaled. This would be the first time she called happy.

"Hello?" Hotch said.

"It's me" Emily said, grinning, "Guess what?"

"What?" Hotch asked, he could hear the lightheartedness in her tone.

"I'm coming home" Emily said, biting her lip, hoping that she was still wanted.

"Oh?" Hotch replied.

Emily frowned at that, she felt a sharp pain in the side of her head. She knew that feeling, she felt it before.

She just hoped that she was wrong.

* * *

Sven Goran Eriksson said, "The greatest barriers to success is the fear of failure."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Emily's Coming Home

"Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?" Winnie The Pooh

* * *

The brunette silently sat in Richard's office, looking around at all the awards and commendations on the wall.

She briefly wondered just how much of yourself did one lose when you treat a patient?

She knew how the team lost bits and pieces of themselves with each case and the more gruesome it was, the harder it became.

_'It's like looking into an abyss'_ Emily told herself, _'That's what Nietzsche wrote. And he's right._ '

Compartmentalizing couldn't do it alone anymore, that's why there are so many burnouts in law enforcement.

_'Elle Greenaway and Jason Gideon'_ Emily noted, and briefly wondered if that's what caused Dave's early retirement then his return.

Emily flinched when she looked up to see Richard standing in front of her with a concerned look on his face.

"Lost in thought or an inner battle?" Richard asked.

"Just some thoughts" Emily replied, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure" Richard said as he sat down behind his desk, "What's on your mind?"

"Talking" Emily told him, "When I work, I compartmentalize my feelings."

Richard nodded in agreement, "Go on."

"Well, that hasn't been working for awhile" Emily told him, "Not with Millie and Mia always taking control."

"Are you worried that if you don't vocalize your feelings that they'll some how take over?" Richard asked.

"That's part of it" Emily said, "But with what I do and what I see, I was wondering..."

"Wondering what?" Richard asked.

"How I didn't lose it sooner?" Emily told him, "How I was able to fight them off for years without even knowing it."

"You didn't need them then" Richard said, "Emily, look at me. When your mind found it unable to cope with the pressure, you retreated within yourself, that's when Millie first took over for the emotional hardship."

"And Mia?" Emily asked biting her lip, she had wondered what aspect of Mia was a piece of her own self.

"Mia dealt with the physical pain" Richard told her, "You remember you told me about when you had to go undercover on the Ian Doyle case?"

"Mm hmm" Emily said, not really wanting to focus on that aspect of her life.

"You created Lauren Reynolds to fit his needs" Richard commented, "How each little nuance enticed him? That wasn't just pieces of you, that was Mia as well."

"I just wish I was normal, you know like everyone else?" Emily sighed "I never in a million years thought that this would be my life. I mean aren't people with D.I.D suppose to have been physically or sexually abused? That's never happened to me."

"Emily, emotional abuse or emotional distance can be just as painful for a child as physical abuse. This was your minds way of being a coping mechanism to deal with stress" Richard reminded her, "You need to realize that a child's insufficient nurturing can be an overwhelming major stress factor. Add to that what you face nowadays as a FBI agent? It's a real wonder that the horrors of what you've seen and dealt with didn't trigger an earlier response."

Inhaling, Emily nodded, "I know, I know."

"What I want from you, when you're home, is to keep writing your feelings and emotions" Richard told her, "And whenever you feel like you're going to splinter off, I want you to back away. Take a break and try to relax."

"Richard, that's not an easy thing if I'm in the middle of a case" Emily pointed out.

"The main point is to try and keep the stress out of your life" Richard assured her, "And to avoid stress you'll need to walk away from a case."

"But I love my job. I just want to get back to normal" she told him, "Being an agent with the BAU was all I want, it's all I want."

Smiling at her, "Then we'll work on keeping that for you."

Richard walked Emily to the front office of the facility, "Good luck, Emily. I'll see you Monday for your first therapy session."

"Thanks, Richard" Emily said opening the door.

A genuine smiled grew on her face when she saw Hotch standing there waiting for her.

Hotch stood there, he felt a sense of relief course through him, seeing Emily more relaxed then the last time he saw her.

Emily hugged Richard, "I'll see you Monday."

"Good luck" Richard told her, watching Emily shoulder her bag, and walk over to Hotch.

"Hey" Emily greeted shyly.

Hotch pulled Emily into a hug, "How are you?"

Emily smiled against his dark blue shirt, while he kissed her forehead.

"You're not wearing your suit?" Emily asked, smiling softly.

Hotch cupped her cheeks for her to look up at him, "Well it is Saturday, and we don't have any cases. So maybe you'd want to drop your stuff off at your apartment and maybe spend the day with Jack and me?"

Emily smiled at that, "Well where is the little guy?"

"Waiting for us at Jessica" Hotch told her, "Come on, lets go home."

Emily felt her head rest against his shoulder when he wrapped an arm around her waist, as the two walked towards the front door.

 

Hotch parked his SUV in front of his former sister-in-law's home, shutting off the engine he looked over at the quiet brunette. Worried.

"Hey" he called out to her, watching as her head turned to him, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Emily bit her lip, "It's now or never. Richard did tell me to slowly interact with my loved ones, and I've really missed Jack."

Hotch took her hand in his giving her a reassuring smile as he got out of the car, wandering around to the passenger side.

Emily took a deep breath, "It's going to be ok, Emily. Breathe, just breathe."

The brunette paused once he opened the door for her. Hotch could tell that she was hesitant, but he'd help her through this no matter what.

"It's ok, Emily" he whispered, "Jack missed you."

That made the brunette's heart clench. One of her fears had been that he'd forget all about her, and would be afraid if she ever saw the little boy she loved again.

"Daddy" Jack yelled once he threw open the front door, stopping in his tracks at the sight of the brunette, "Emmy?"

Rushing over to her, the small boy nearly plowed her down as he hugged her legs, "I missed you, Emmy."

Kneeling down, the brunette gave Hotch a smile, as he moved to the porch to speak with Jessica. Leaving Emily with Jack.

"I missed you too, buddy" she told him, her thumb running over the small dimples on his cheeks, "How have you been?"

"Missed you" he told her throwing his arms around her, "I missed you so much, Emmy."

"I'm sorry" she told him, standing up while holding him to her, "But I'm back."

Emily noticed a concerned look that Hotch's former sister-in-law shot her but then gave her a small smile before turning her attention back on Hotch.

She could hear the two adults light whispers, and frowned when she heard Jessica hiss out, "What about Beth?"

That made the dark haired woman pause, _who was Beth?_ Looking down at the boy in her arms.

"Emmy?" Jack whispered, "Now that you're back, you're better now, right?"

"Huh?" she asked, she could feel doubt creeping into his words which sent a new wave of doubt in her self, "Baby?"

Jack pulled his head back to look at her, "Daddy said that the reason you had to go away was because you were sick" his dark eyes searching hers, "You're all better now, right?"

The brunette tried to find an appropriate reply to this when she heard a taunting in the back of her head that made her quickly set Jack down. Her head was pounding and from the torrential pain she had one fear racing through her.

"Emmy?" the boy called out, "Emmy?"

_'You didn't think it was going to be that easy to get rid_ _of me?_ ' Mia's voice rang out _'Uh uh. I told you, I'm not going anywhere.'_

 

"Emily?" Hotch called out, watching the brunette's eyes glaze over. Fear racing through him, "Are you alright?"

"Sorry" she said, looking down at the boy giving him a warm smile, "I'm ok. My mind just wandered a little bit."

Hotch furrowed his eyebrows, placing a protective hand on Jack, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah" she told him, "It's just been a long day, sorry."

His dark eyes searching hers for any sign of distress but only saw remorse, he visibly relaxed, "No, I'm sorry, I should've realized that you'd just want to relax after leaving..." he looked down at his son, "The spa."

She gave him a wry look, "One heck of a spa."

Hotch placed Jack into the back of the car, while Emily glanced again at the porch, noticing that Jessica was watching her from the window.

_'You think he's going to trust a crazy girl like us with his precious Jackie?'_ Mia taunted.

"Quiet" she murmured to herself, chiding herself when she got into the car with Hotch looking at her, "So where too?"

"Do you want me to drop you off at home?" he asked, "You know to rest up for the weekend."

Her heart dropped at that, but nodded, "That'd be nice, thank you."

_'Never gonna happen'_ Mia mocked her, _'You think you're going to have the happily ever after with the Stone Cold robot and his kid? Didn't you think that same thing about that bastard who stabbed us?'_

"Emily, we're here" his soft tone pulling her from the inner battle with the volatile ego, "Emily?"

"Thanks Hotch" she told him with a forced smile, "It means a lot that you're giving me a chance to..."

He placed his warm hand on her wrist, "Just go slow, Emily. Everything will be fine."

The brunette turned in the seat, "See you later, bud man."

Jack grinned, watching the brunette struggle for the door with her go bag, "Daddy aren't you going to help her?"

Hotch latched onto the door handle, while Emily shook her head, "No, I've got it."

"There's that independent agent I know" he told her, "I'll call you later and maybe we can all hang out at the park or something?"

"I'd like that" Emily smiled, stunned when he kissed her cheek.

Walking into her building, she turned to see the taillights disappear around the corner and grasped onto the wall, "Stop it."

_'Oh Emmy, Emmy, Emmy'_ Mia asked, _'I_ _wouldn't have been woken up if you didn't need me. What's the matter Princess? Is the big bad agent after you?'_

"I never woke you up" she hissed, getting into the elevator, "Just leave me the hell alone."

_'Uh uh, you need me'_ the voice told her, _'And we need to find out just who this Beth is.'_

"I don't care" Emily said, walking out onto her floor, "We weren't exactly calling ourselves anything."

_'Then why are you crying?'_ Mia told her, _'You either let me loose to remove the obstacle or buck it up and be alone for the rest of our lives? What's it gonna be Princess?'_

"No" Emily told her, "I'm not letting you out, Mia."

_'Suit yourself'_ Mia told her, _'I guess I'll just get the free show of you and your damn cat eating take out for the next some odd years.'_

The brunette pushed open her front door, looking around at the assembled things that her friends set up for her since her absence.

The only thing missing was Sergio, a quick text message from JJ told her that she could retrieve the cat if she could pry him from Garcia's hands.

_'Great, you're more worried about that damn cat then you are about hanging onto your man'_ Mia told her, _'And you think I'm the push over?'_

"Not listening to you" Emily told her, pulling out her medication.

_'Yeah, like a pill can really shut me up'_ the angry voice told her.

_'Ladies, ladies, ladies'_ said the third voice, _'Either you both behave or I'm going to have to take over.'_

_'Knock it off, stick'_ Mia told her, _'You know there's no way either of us called you out.'_

Emily threw down her bag, dry swallowing her medication and laying on her bed.

_'You of all people know that I'm always here, Mia'_ Millie told her, _'And that incompetent of a psychiatrist we were all forced to see did nothing to help.'_

"He helped me" Emily mumbled, the call of sleep taking over, "Please just leave me alone."

_'Rest Emily'_ Millie told her, glaring at Mia from the window that out looked world, _'I'll watch out for you.'_

The uptight brunette stood in front of the cage looking out, _'You're not going to ruin this chance for any of us this time.'_

Mia rushed towards the bars, _'You're not keeping me locked up again, Millie. I will find away out'_ the angry brunette told her, _'And when I get out, there's going to be hell to pay.'_

Millie stood in front of the window looking out. As the Gatekeeper she knew that in order to protect Emily, she'd have to do whatever it took to remove the threats in her life.

Now she just needed to find out how big of a threat this Beth was and how to dispose of her.

* * *

"Retaliation is to nature and instinct, not law. Law, by definition cannot obey the same rules as nature." Albert Camus


	3. Emily's Day Out

Carl Sandburg said, "Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by."

* * *

Awaking in her apartment, Emily could feel the bright sun shining through her drapes but ignored them.

The residual pounding was slowing down but there was still the small whisper of Mia's voice replaying in her head as she walked from her bedroom into her bathroom flicking on the lights.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she was startled by the reflection looking back. The smirking face of Mia.

_'You really think you've got it all covered don't ya?'_ Mia taunted, _'You think you're going to have that fairy tale happily ever after with Stone Cold? I'm telling you he's keeping something big from you. Well us. Even Millie says so and she's not that with it when it comes to men.'_

"Go away" Emily hissed out, turning on the water faucet.

_'You don't really want that, now do you?_ ' Mia told her, _'How else are you going to deal with the stresses of Hotch and his secrets? Hmm? Compartmentalize?'_

"I'm fine now" Emily told her, "I can handle this."

_'Oh please?'_ Mia rolled her dark eyes, _'Who do you think you're fooling? Not me. He's only going to hurt us in the end and you know it.'_

"Go away, Mia" Emily told her, turning around when she heard the ringing on her home phone.

_'Go on, get that'_ Mia told her, _'Go play family with Hotch and his kid. Just like you did with Doyle and Declan.'_

Emily held the side of her head, closing her eyes, "Go away!"

Opening her eyes, she looked into the mirror and exhaled when all she saw was herself.

"I'm fine" she told herself, "I'm fine."

Rushing over to the ringing house phone, "Hello?"

"Hey, I didn't wake you did I?" Hotch asked, his tone uncertain, "How are you feeling?"

Emily bit her lower lip but decided not to tell him, she told herself that there was no need to worry him. She'd tell her therapist when she'd see him instead.

"I'm great" she said, plastering on a cheerful tone, "How's Jack?"

"Excited to see you" Hotch told her, "He wants to know if you'd like to join us at the park?"

That made her heart race, spending the day with her two favorite Hotchners. She wanted nothing more in the world but to be with them forever.

"I'd love that" she started, "But maybe I shouldn't. I don't want to intrude on your time with Jack, you rarely get to spend time together with work and all..."

"Emily" Hotch chuckled, "Look outside, it's a beautiful Sunday morning and there's no where we have to be but with each other. Just the three of us."

_'Just the three of us?'_ Mia mocked, _'Uh hello? What about me?'_

"Emily?" Hotch said, "Do you want to?"

"Sure" she said, rubbing her temple, "Give me an hour to get ready, ok?"

"Great" he said, relieved, "I'll see you."

"Bye" she told him, ending the call.

Walking across to her bathroom, she rubbed her temples, "Be calm, be calm, be calm. You're fine, Emily. Fine."

_'You're just too damn weak, Emily'_ Mia told her, _'He's only going to hurt us in the end. Look at what happened to that wife of his. He couldn't keep her safe. Hell he couldn't keep us safe from Doyle.'_

"I took care of Doyle" Emily reminded her, "Now shut up and leave me alone, I have to get ready."

_'Ready for your funeral'_ Mia mocked her, _'Don't say I didn't warn you.'_

Emily ignored the tinging doubt in that comment and felt renewed after having her shower.

Hesitantly walking towards the mirror, she felt relief sweep through her when she looked into the mirror and only saw her own reflection staring back. No Mia, no Millie, just her.

Quickly looking around her apartment, she knew that there was a lot to do before returning to the BAU tomorrow for her interview with Strauss after her appointment with Richard.

A realization hit her as she exhaled. She had no food in her home, and she wanted this day to be a perfect day for her and her two favorite guys.

Checking the clock, she was relieved that she had some extra time before Hotch and Jack would be over. Grabbing her purse, she quickly walked out the door to make her day perfect.

Hotch chuckled pulling the car into the parking lot of the park while Jack tried with all his might to undo his seat belt.

"Hold on there, little speed racer" Emily teased looking back, "You have to wait for your father to turn off the car before jumping out of the car, ok?"

"Ok" Jack said, with a grin.

After Hotch helped Jack out of the car, he looked down at the big wicker basket in Emily's hand and raised an eyebrow.

"So, a picnic, huh?" he teased, "I never knew you were one to enjoy picnics."

Emily picked up the small blanket, giving him a disbelieving look, "Please, I'm right up there with Yogi Bear with picnics."

"Guess that makes me Ranger Smith, huh?" he joked.

"Yep, now let's take Boo Boo over here and enjoy our day" Emily said, but he placed a hand on her arm, "What?"

Hotch took the basket from her, passing it to Jack, "Hey buddy? Why don't you find us a good spot under that tree, ok?"

"Ok" Jack said rushing over to the large tree.

Emily felt his hand move upwards from her arm to her shoulders before cupping her face to look up at him.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows, "Yesterday you were..."

"Yesterday was yesterday, Aaron" she told him, placing her smaller hands on his own, "I'm just going to have to get use to things now that I'm back."

_'Don't you mean 'we', Emmy?'_ Mia taunted, _'Let's not forget about your backbone and brain.'_

His dark eyes saw her own pain up, but then masked over.

"Sweetheart?" he whispered, "Are you sure you're ready for all this?"

"I'm ready" her own eyes meeting his, "I'm really ready for everything."

"You're really back, aren't you?" he asked, his face relaxing, "You're really here, right?"

"I'm here" she whispered, resting his forehead against hers, his dark eyes taking her in, "I'm still here."

Hotch pulled Emily into a deep kiss, reveling in the moment that everything was perfect. His whole world was complete with just the three of them.

However on Emily's end, despite being content with the way things were, there was still doubt that was calling out to her. And that doubt sounded a lot like Mia.

"Daddy, Emmy!" Jack called out, impatient, "Come on."

Hotch wrapped his arm around the brunette, chuckling at the scowl on his son's face, "Wow, did you do all this?"

"Uh huh" Jack grinned, "You like?"

Emily kneeled down to the boy's eye level, "Like it? Baby, I love it."

"Really?" he asked, his smile widening on his young face.

"Really truly" she said, giving him a scouts honor sign.

"Ok, lets see what we've got here" Hotch said, looking down at the food, "Sandwiches, rolls, chips for Jack and potato salad wow."

"And don't forget these" Jack grinned holding up three chocolate chip cookies, "These are my favorite."

Emily winked at the boy, "A little birdie told me that you'd like that."

"Thank you Emmy" Jack rushed at her, tackling the brunette into a giggle fit.

"Jack" she laughed, "Stop. Stop."

The boy didn't relent on his tickling assault causing the brunette to grasp her hands on his waist while laughing.

"Aaron, help me" she giggled as the boy began to tickle her harder, but he just watched the pair in pure happiness, "Aaron."

"Harder Jack" he conspiratorially whispered.

"Hotchner" a voice called out, pulling the dark haired man from the bonding moment, "Hey."

Emily sat up, holding Jack close to her, her eyes taking in the woman hugging Hotch. And in her honest opinion the woman looked way too comfortable with him.

Emily winced internally hearing the taunting voice, _'Wow, he sure doesn't waste any time does he? Look at her, she's got your man.'_

"Shut up" Emily whispered, her eyes closing at the raging headache pounding in her skull as her grip began to slip.

"Emmy?" Jack murmured, pulling back as the dark eyes opened on him, "Emmy?"

"Hey kid" Mia smirked, looking at the little boy who eyed her warily.

She watched the boy pull out of her grasp scampering away rushing to his father's side, "Well hello to you too."

The alter narrowed her eyes on the other woman that was chatting with the frightened boy, then looked over in Emily's direction, flashing the woman a smile.

"Ooh keep smiling bitch" Mia muttered, standing up. The alter ignored the disgruntled pleas of Emily.

_'Mia! Let me out now'_ Emily cried out, looking out the window watching her body move towards Hotch and the other two, _'Mia, God damn it!'_

"Tsk tsk tsk" Mia said, "Hello there."

"Hi" the woman greeted extending her hand, "You must be Emily, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Beth."

The brunette eyed the smiling woman warily, "Funny, I didn't hear a thing about you."

Hotch shot Emily a look, stunned by the behavior, "Emily, I met Beth here during the..."

Mia turned her head to give him a look, "Save it. I'm going back to the picnic, join us when you're ready to play happy family."

Mia leaned over to Jack, "Say kid, want to come split a cookie with me?"

Jack clung to his father's jean shaking his head, "No."

Mia shrugged, "Suit yourself."

_'Mia!'_ Emily cried out, _'Don't do this, don't behave like that towards Jack. I love that little boy.'_

"Spare me, Emmy" Mia muttered, "You can get your panties out of a wad, I'm not going to touch the kid. It's not his fault his father's a two timing horn dog."

The woman sat down on the sprawled out blanket watching while Hotch listened to Beth, the alters mind was rolling deep in thought trying to tune out Emily.

_'God, where the hell are you Millie?'_ Emily called out, _'Hello? I thought you were suppose to protect the host at all cost. Isn't that what you tried to do last time?'_

"Be smart, Emily" Mia said, "Just sit back and let me run this show."

The brunette paced around in front of the window, keeping her eye on her alternate personality who was happily munching away while keeping her eyes trained on Beth and Hotch.

"Jack, buddy why don't you go sit with Emily while Beth and I talk?" Hotch asked, looking down at his son who shook his head.

Mia stood up, grabbing Emily's purse and sauntering over to the dark haired pair, "Look since there's a kid present I'll try and keep this as 'G' rated as I can."

Hotch turned, looking over at the brunette, "Emily? What's the matter?"

Mia snorted, raising an eyebrow, "How about the fact that you didn't tell me you were traipsing all over D.C. with a knock off version of me?"

"Excuse me?" Beth asked, looking stunned by the blatant comment, "But there's..."

"Save it, sweetheart" Mia said, waving her hand, "I know women like you. You think just because you see a single, somewhat good looking man that means he's up for grabs?"

Hotch covered his mouth baffled by the change in attitude of Emily, "Yeah, he's got a girlfriend sweetheart, but guess what, I'm through."

"Emily?" Hotch asked, stunned, "What is the matter with you? Why are you..."

"Maybe I should go" Beth said, looking from Hotch to the brunette, "I'll talk to you later, Aaron."

Mia smirked, watching the woman retreat, "Bye bye."

Hotch turned his attention back on Jack, "Buddy, can you go watch our basket?"

Jack just nodded, hurrying away from the duo while Hotch grabbed onto Emily's elbow, "Come with me?"

Leading the brunette away from Jack's prying ears, he maneuvered them to a bench pulling the brunette down next to him.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he asked, looking over at the nonchalant woman, "If I didn't know any better I'd almost swear that you..."

"What?" Mia clipped out in a cold tone, that made his blood run cold, "What Hotch?"

Shaking his head, "Maybe we should call your doctor."

"You think just because I'm having a bad day that I need to see my shrink?" she stood up, narrowing her eyes, "If you wanted to dump me, then all you had to do was say so, not go two timing behind my back while I'm off recovering..."

"I never said that" Hotch protested, reaching out only to be dismissed, "Emily?"

Turning to look him dead in the eye, "Maybe this was a mistake."

"What was?" he asked, standing up, trying to pull the brunette close to him while Mia internally recoiled at the touch of Emily's boyfriend, "Talk to me, I know there's something wrong."

_'No shit, Sherlock'_ Emily screamed out, _'How about that, that's not me.'_

"How about the fact that while I was stuck getting my head shrunk you were going out with Bev over there" Mia nodded towards the retreating woman's frame from the distance.

"Beth" he corrected, "And there was nothing..."

"As I said, 'save it', I'm not interested" Mia said, folding her arms across her chest, "Just know this, whatever this was, between us, it's over."

_'What?'_ Emily cried out, _'No Mia, no.'_

"What?" Hotch asked, "Emily, I know that we're still new at this thing, but please, whatever's wrong we can work on it together."

Mia pulled herself from his grip, "Kinda hard when you're seeing other women behind our back."

"I'm not" he told her, "Beth is just a friend."

Snorting, "Sure Hotch, and hell is just a sauna."

_'Mia,'_ Emily demanded, _'Don't do this to me, don't do this.'_

"Well, be seeing you" she replied with a grin, walking passed him.

Turning on her heels, the brunette marched pass the boy giving Jack a wink as she strolled through the park towards the street.

"Daddy" Jack cried out, rushing to his side sniffling as the two Hotchners watched the brunette hail a cab leaving the heartbroken pair in stunned silence.

"Come here buddy" he murmured, wondering what was wrong with Emily.

He watched the cab drive off, not knowing how she could just switch from kind and caring to mean and distance. He knew that the woman before him couldn't be Millie, because she was more clinical but Hotch knew that there was something off with Emily.

And he intended to find out what.

* * *

"It's sad when you become someone you know." Henry Rollins


	4. Now Entering The BAU

 A Chinese Proverb said, "The beginning and the reach out their hands to each other."

* * *

 _'Come on'_ Emily called out, _'Mia, what the hell are you doing?'_

The brunette agent groaned in frustration as she watched her unpredictable alter stood in front of the bathroom mirror putting on dark lipstick.

"What does it look like I'm doing, brainiac?" Mia snorted, "I'm voting."

_'Mia'_ Emily grumbled, _'You know you've got to let me out. Everyone's going to know that you're not me.'_

"Please, Emmy-kins" the hostile woman rolled her dark eyes, "I can pull off anything. Besides I'm not gonna get us busted like Miss Prissy did last time."

_'Miss Prissy?'_ Emily repeated, _'Where the hell is Millie anyways?'_

"Special assignment" Mia sighed, "Something a long the lines of tracking down all known facts about that skank from the park."

_'Beth?'_ Emily frowned, _'Wait, you two aren't planning something against her are you?'_

The brunette alter glared at the mirror, "God who do you think I am? A hit man?"

_'Then what the hell are you doing, Mia?'_ Emily asked, the alter stared back at the mirrored reflection, _'Huh? Why bring up Beth if you're not plotting to go after her?'_

Mia raised an eyebrow, running her finger through the dark locks, "I never said I was plotting something. That bitch is ruining our life."

_'Our life?'_ Emily repeated, _'This isn't our life, or even yours. This is mine. You hear me? Mine, and let me out.'_

"Sorry Em, but this is about self preservation" Mia shook her head, "And right now, I'm doing what's best for us and I'm pretty sure once Millie comes back from her excursion, she'd agree with me because after all..."

_'After all, what?_ ' Emily asked, growing frustrated by the minute, _'What?'_

"Millie's all about protecting us" Mia replied ominously, "And that's all I'm going to say about that. So rest up, if you behave you just might get a chance to enjoy your boy toy."

_'How can I enjoy Aaron when you're pretending to be me when you dumped him?'_ Emily asked, _'Why did you break up with Aaron?'_

"Because, nobody but nobody cheats on us" Mia told her, "It may haven't been me, but still that's low even for him."

_'What?'_ Emily asked, _'What the hell are you driving at?'_

"Your stone cold, stick in the mud was grating on my last nerve any ways" Mia told her, rolling her eyes, "I mean other then that rocking body, what the hell do you find appealing about him? Hmm, he's not young, he's saddled with a kid..."

_'Enough'_ Emily said, glaring at the woman, _'Do not talk about Hotch or Jack like that.'_

"All right, fine" Mia said, placating the woman, "You're attached to the kid, I get it. Your choice, but face it, it's over now."

_'No, no it's not'_ Emily told her sniffling, _'As long as there is someone out there who still loves me, it's never over.'_

"Stop mopping" Mia winked at their reflection, "We're still young, hot and got a smoking body, we'll find someone better. Hell we'll find ten someones."

_'I don't want anyone but Hotch'_ Emily told her, _'He's the first man to genuinely love me, for me.'_

"Ha" the brunette walked out of the bathroom, "Then why was he falling all over that chick from the park? Didn't see him making introductions. Now buck up, Emmy, we've got an evaluation to ace and a job to tank."

_'No'_ Emily told her, _'You're not sinking my career along with my relationships. I won't have it.'_

"Calm down, Princess" Mia muttered, grabbing the jacket, "We're just getting started."

Emily leaned back against the cool glass reflecting out in her imprisoned mind, counting down to ten while she could hear Mia's snarky comments once she arrived in the BAU parking garage.

"God Princess" Mia sighed, shutting off the ignition, "How the hell did you manage to do this every day for nearly six years?"

_'Shut up'_ Emily muttered, looking out at the reflecting sight, _'Either you let me out to deal with Dr. Merrill or I'll shout until I give us both a headache.'_

"Quiet" Mia murmured, heading towards the elevator pausing when she saw Reid standing there awaiting the arrival of the electric machine.

"Oh welcome back, Emily" Reid greeted her, hugging the detached alter, "How are you feeling?"

"Certifiably sane" Mia replied, eyeing the younger man who outed Millie months earlier. She had no intention of falling in the same category as the Gatekeeper.

Looking up from her spot, "So how was the Doctor Who convention?" Mia asked, internally rolling her eyes, she knew what Emily knew. Plus the fact that Garcia sent the host personality multiple emails about the event didn't hurt.

"Oh, funny you should ask" Reid grinned at the brunette, going off on a tangent of facts while Mia successfully tuned him out.

_'You think you're going to get away with this?'_ Emily told her, _'There's something you need to know, Mia. I work with profilers, the best in the Bureau and sooner or later, they're going to wise up and when they do, you thought Wellstone was hell? You haven't see anything yet.'_

"Emily?" Reid's voice pulled Mia from her inner battle with herself, "Emily, are you all right?"

"Oh, yeah?" Mia asked, slapping on a smile, "Sorry, just first day back jitters."

Reid gave her a reassuring smile, "We're all rooting for you, Emily. Remember that."

Mia shot him a look internally rolling her eyes, "Thanks, Reid."

The two walked into the opening elevator doors, Reid pushed the button for the BAU floor watching as the doors slowly closed.

"Hold the elevator" a voice called out, sliding through was Morgan who perked up at the sight of Emily, giving her a smile.

_'Morgan'_ she sniffled, _'Mia, you've got to let me out.'_

"Welcome back, Princess" Morgan greeted the brunette.

"Romeo" Mia teased, raising an eyebrow at him, missing the look that Reid sent the older man, "So breaking any more hearts while I've been gone?"

_'Ugh, seriously Mia? Flirting?'_ Emily grumbled, _'I'd never talk to him like that. Thought you wanted to stay under the radar? Way to blow a cover, Mia.'_

The brunette ignored the taunting host personality in her head, "So, anyone new Morgan? Or are you still holding out for Miss Right Now?"

"Aw Princess" Morgan chuckled, missing the smirk that grew across her face at the nickname, "You know you're the only one for me. Of course I'll have to fight off Hotch..."

Mia's face clouded over at the mention of his name, and cleared her throat as the elevator doors slid open she gave the two male agents a nod before hurrying off.

"Was it something we said?" Reid asked, his eyes trained on the brunette's receding form.

"Nah" Morgan said, the two wandering into the bullpen.

The intruder in Emily's body wandered down the hall, walking flippantly towards her destination with the fervent intent of the plan she made. To stay free once and for all.

There was no way in hell she was going away, but there was also no way was she going to have them lock Emily back up. So that left one option, one that she knew Millie wasn't going to be too fond of, but it was her only option. To quit the BAU, Hotch and cut off all ties with Emily's Bureau friends.

It wasn't like she needed to worry about Emily's immediate family. There wasn't any contact with her father. And her mother? The Ambassador and the agent only a vocal relationship, barely calling each other when the thought hit either of them.

And that was just fine with Mia, but Millie? Millie would only think of the glass as half empty while trying to contain the whole situation. She'd want Emily to keep her contacts with her friend unless their was something that would affect the brunette in a negative factor or cause her an ounce of pain.

The only downside for Mia, was of Millie's sudden disappearance with retreating within Emily's psyche, and that she didn't have a clue as to her plan. The only thing the volatile alter knew was, that whatever happened next, it was going to affect them all, because above all else, Millie was the least predictable of all of them.

"Agent Prentiss?" the receptionist called out, looking over at Mia, "Dr. Merrill can see you now."

"Thanks" Mia muttered, she hated shrinks but she knew that Emily's doctor from Wellstone initiated a meeting with the new Bureau psychiatrist and this was the last thing the alter wanted.

Walking into the cold and confined space, she inhaled the scent of stale air, she may have felt apprehensive about this, but there was one thing she knew. How to avoid getting caught. The last shrink she remembered from the BAU, Dr. Lane had quit after failing to catch on to Millie, and Mia only wished this one could follow suit.

"Hello Agent Prentiss" the older woman greeted with a smile that made the brunette despise the woman on sight, "Please take a seat."

 

Hotch sat in his office looking down into the bullpen, waiting. He had been worried for Emily since their incident in the park two days earlier.

He didn't know what happened, but she refused to answer his calls, and he was pretty sure she'd been avoiding everyone's calls.

Well the girls at least, he didn't know about the men on their team. But either way he knew one thing for certain. Emily was behaving different. And that scared him senseless.

If he were honest with himself, he'd suspect that she had a relapse with her D.I.D., but he had been assured by both Emily and Dr. Rubin, from Wellstone, that the integration had been successful, so what was it?

All Hotch knew was, that he wasn't about to lose Emily again. Not to the demons inside her or to the ones outside.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock on the door, "Come in."

Turning his eyes to his older friend who let out an exasperated sigh, "How bad?"

"How bad, what?" Hotch asked, keeping an peripheral eye on the bullpen.

"How long have you been sitting there waiting for Emily to come out?" Dave asked, taking a seat across from the team leader who seemed in more need of a shrink then their troubled brunette.

"Dave I'm worried about her" Hotch admitted softly, "Remember I told you that she agreed to come to the park with Jack and me?"

"Yeah" he answered, crossing his legs as he leaned back to look over into the bullpen as well, "What happened? Was it too much, too fast?"

"I don't know" he admitted, "She seemed fine when we picked her up and got there. But then after we spread out the lunch, I ran into Beth and something switched, she changed..."

Dave winced, shutting his eyes, "Jesus Aaron, she doesn't know about Beth?"

Hotch shook his head, "She just came back, Dave. What was I suppose to tell her?"

"How about the truth?" Dave clipped out, "No wonder she shut herself off from you."

"She dumped me" Hotch told his friend, "But that's not the worse part."

"That's not?" he asked, "What could possibly be worse?"

"Her emotional coldness, it was almost like..." Hotch paused before exhaling, "Like her alter was back."

"Millie?" Dave asked, the team met her but not the other alter, the unpredictable one. Shaking his head, "No, she's fine Aaron, they wouldn't have released her or allowed her the opportunity to come back if..."

"Dave, she scared the crap out of Jack" Hotch sighed, "After I separated myself to talk to Beth, Jack clung to my leg the entire time and Beth? She couldn't get out of their fast enough."

Dave furrowed his eyebrows at that. He did know that Emily did have kind of a temper but nothing unlike the rest of the team had, especially with the job they do. But to cause a child and grown woman to flee?

"Well we'll just have to keep an eye on her" Dave slowly replied, "I mean we can't go arround accusing her of backsliding without proof. After all this could be post release stress."

"I can't lose her Dave" Hotch nodded in agreement, "I love her too much to lose her again."

Mia smugly walked out of Dr. Merrill's office with a smirk on her face, "And that's two Bureau shrinks that can't see the truth."

_'Oh you just must be so proud of yourself'_ Emily snidely remarked, _'Not only did you do somersaults of sanity in there, but you had to nitpick the woman into questioning her own self worth?'_

Mia stopped by the water fountain looking for any signs of an eavesdropper before snorting.

"If she's too incompetent to see the wool being pulled over her eyes, then they've got it coming" Mia told her, "Now off to the Queen Bitch of the Bureau."

_'What are you planning for Strauss?'_ Emily asked warily.

"Funny how you automatically assumed it was Strauss" Mia mumbled continuing on towards the back offices.

_'Because I know you'_ Emily told the her, _'And you despise her more then you despise my mother or Hotch.'_

"Who said anything about despising that statue you use to date?" Mia said, glancing into the bullpen then up to his office to see him talking with Dave, "Hmm, have to keep my eye on that."

Standing in front of the Section Chief's office, Mia knocked then murmured, "Now let me do all the talking."

Emily slid down the floor, her back against the cool brick that held her inside of her own mind, defeated. This was her biggest fear that she'd be trapped within her own mind forever.

Though Mia has yet to do anything too damaging, it still hurt the former agent because she couldn't reach a way out yet.

The brunette looked up when she heard the sound of the elevator pinging, turning around she saw that they were quickly rushing out of the parking garage.

_'Where are we going?'_ Emily called out, _'Mia? Mia?'_

"Just have to take care of one more thing then we're all good" Mia's voice sang out, "You're gonna thank me."

* * *

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goal." Aristotle

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	5. For Every Threat

A Chinese Proverb said, "The beginning and the reach out their hands to each other."

* * *

_'God, what are you doing?'_ Emily asked, disgust evident in her tone as she looked out towards the world, _'Mia, what are we doing here?'_

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that" the alter clipped, "Honestly, you really should be thanking me."

 _'Thanking you?'_ Emily repeated, _'Are you kidding me?'_

"Nope, I'm not a clown" Mia chuckled, "Now just give me a quick second to fixed a little something before we can have our fun."

Emily slunk on the stool next to the window, she tried with all her might to break through and take control but Mia wasn't having it. And that frustrated her to no end.

She sat there contemplating as she watched Mia turn the engine off and get out of the SUV looking over at the window.

Mia narrowed her eyes watching the woman come into view by the kitchen window, a smirk growing across her face as the woman turned around popping a frozen dinner in the microwave.

"There she is" Mia smugly replied, "And now I'm gonna do what should've been done months ago."

Emily's eyes widen in horror, finally getting a good look at the woman, gasping, _'No Mia. What the hell are you doing?'_

"I'm doing the world a big favor" she muttered, reaching the front steps knocking on the door, "Getting rid of her."

 _'No Mia'_ Emily protested, _'Don't you dare hurt her.'_

"You're defending that piece of trash?" Mia snorted, "That bitch is trying to get her stubby little claws in your man."

 _'Whom you broke up with while posing as me'_ Emily retorted, _'Leave Beth alone.'_

"Yeah, I'll leave her alone" Mia chuckled, "In little pieces all over the Potomac."

The front door opened, and the woman flinched in surprise, "Emily?"

"Hello Beth" Mia greeted, "We need to talk."

Emily watched in horror as her alter shoved the woman backwards entering the house and closing the front door. But the lights went black, keeping Emily in total darkness.

The brunette sniffled, her heart wrenching as she was unable to stop from whatever was happening out there, against someone she didn't even know.

She was never one to be emotional, quite the contrary she was one that could take whatever happened in stride, even if it was because of Millie and Mia. But being locked out, kept in the dark of Mia's plan for Beth scared the hell out of her.

Emily could admit that she didn't like the woman, point in fact she despised her but she'd never wish to inflict Mia on her because one thing about Mia is, she's unpredictable.

The lights flickering back on, Emily stood up looking out the window to see Mia standing outside a dark alley behind a bar.

 _'Mia?'_ Emily called out, _'What did you do, huh? What did you do to Beth?'_

 _'Calm down before you give us all a coronary'_ a voice called out, stunning the brunette, _'Mia may be a little self center...'_

 _'May be?'_ Emily repeated, _'Are you out of your fricking mind?'_ shaking her head, _'Of course you are, so is she. You're both split personalities...'_

"Your split personalities" Mia snickered, "Now if you two don't mind, I've gotta see a man about getting laid."

 _'What?'_ Emily repeated, _'You are not allowed to have sex with my body. And what the hell did you do to Beth?'_

"I didn't do anything to Beth" Mia snickered, "Now girls, excuse me."

Emily whirled around, _'What the hell happened to Beth? Did she... did she hurt her?'_

 _'Ms. Clemmons was a threat'_ Millie told her, _'For every threat there has to be a quandary of an assessment. Beth Clemmons has been dealt with and is no longer a threat.'_

 _'That's hardly an answer, Millie'_ Emily marched up to the cryptic alter, _'Is she alive? Is she hurt?'_

Millie stood up straight, her professional demeanor studying Emily, _'Beth Clemmons is not our problem anymore.'_

 _'I can't believe you let Mia hurt Beth'_ Emily said in disgust, _'You're not helping me. If something happens to that woman, no one will forgive me. I'll never forgive myself.'_

The stoic brunette shook her head, while the two turn their attention back to the window.

Mia looked down at the ringing cell phone, "Ugh Princess, can't your Stone Cold get it through his thick skull that we broke up?"

 _'Then why the hell did you go after Beth?'_ Emily hissed out.

"For fun" Mia smirked, hitting ignore on the cell phone then shoved it back in her purse, "Any way I'm doing you both a favor with this break up. He's not good enough for us, and we're obviously not sane enough for him."

Emily banged her head on the window, _'He's worried about us.'_

"Why?" Mia asked, looking at Emily and Millie's reflection in a passing window pane, "We're fine."

Millie stood strong with a raised eyebrow while Emily glared at the outgoing alter.

 _'We're anything but fine, Mia'_ Emily told her, _'You don't want me around Hotch, fine but let me out so I can talk to Richard.'_

"That's not gonna happen" Mia told her, "Besides that quack is worse then those two Bureau headshrinkers. Try finding inner peace?" rolling her eyes at that, "My ass."

Emily's head turned to Millie, _'Get her to let me out.'_

 _'Not yet'_ Millie told her standing up straight, _'It's not safe, but I'll try_ _and repair whatever damage she causes. I'll be right back.'_

 _'What?'_ Emily asked watching the Gatekeeper retreat into the shadows, _'Millie? What are you going to do?'_

Standing alone in the dark, the brunette sighed, annoyed that she was an observer in her own life. Something that she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

 _'I should've just told Hotch and Richard the truth when the headaches came back'_ she mumbled looking out as her body moved towards a back entrance into the bar.

Mia paused in front of the large bouncer, giving the man a wink as she passed him allowing him to let his eyes wander over her lean and long legs.

Walking across the smokey dark bar, resting her elbows on the counter taking in the atmosphere she smirked.

"It's good to be home" she murmured to herself taking in the patronage, knowing that despite being locked up for months, this is where she belonged.

Spinning around on the stool, she could hear the quieted protest of Emily, but chose to ignore the woman she's been protecting forever. After all didn't she deserve some just reward? She always protected her, saved her, couldn't there be just one night where she didn't have to?

The brunette grumbled, looking down at her purse hearing the ringing cell phone and shoving her hand inside she knew who it was without looking at the ID. Once again hitting ignore, she put the phone on silent and tossed it in her purse deciding it was best to have her fun before the shit hit the fan, so to speak, with Emily's friends.

One thing that the others failed to notice about Mia was that though she was unpredictable, she was also very smart. Just as smart as Millie, but unlike the Gatekeeper, she had no intentions of being locked up once Emily got her shit together.

"Hey" a male voice said, pulling the alter out of her inner thoughts, "Haven't seen you before, are you new in town?"

Mia turned around with a raised eyebrow, ready to tell off whatever cretin decided to slithered her way when she took notice of the attractive man.

"Speak English?" he asked, eyeing her exposed flesh with glee, "Hello?"

"I don't talk to strange men" Mia quipped out.

"Funny, neither do I" he grinned, "The name's Danny."

"Mia" Mia said, "Now how about buying me a drink?"

Danny grinned taking a seat beside the brunette, her eyes landing on his, "Well?"

"Well what?" he asked, giving her a mischievous grin, "Oh right, a drink. Tell me why I should have to buy you a drink?"

Mia reached over, grabbing a handful of peanuts, "Well if you want my company then you better start impressing me and I don't see Tiffany's anywhere around here..."

That made Danny chuckle, "Well if you really want a drink that badly then... "

"Then what?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow propping her hand under her chin, "What's going on in that little mind of yours?"

"A dance" Danny finished, his hand cupping her chin, "God I've missed you."

Mia chuckled, "It's been too damn long indeed."

Danny leaned forward, taking her lips as his own thrusting his tongue down her throat, caressing every cavern of the brunette's mouth not relenting on the lust running through his veins.

"Three months" Danny he exhaled, "Where the hell have you been for three months?"

Mia propped her head against his own, she could hear Emily's pleas but ignored them opening her eyes to the man in front of her.

"My sister had some issues and I had to take care of her" Mia smoothly lied.

"Is she alright?" he asked, nuzzling his face in her neck, nipping at the exposed flesh of his part time lover.

"Had to help her drop some loser after he cheated on her" Mia said, her mind wincing as Emily's voice became louder at the mention of Hotch.

"What a dick" Danny responded, his mouth finding hers again, "But you're back now, right?"

"Mm hmm" she sighed against his lips, "Now enough about my sister and her problems. Now where's my drink?"

Danny chuckled, "After I get my dance."

Mia rolled her eyes, getting up from the stool and wandering to the jukebox turning to look over her shoulder at the sandy haired man, winking at him.

He looked down at the red handbag that was vibrating across the counter, his gaze wandered over to the brunette who was slowly swaying her hips while perusing the music on the jukebox. Deciding to forgo ignoring the repeatedly vibrating device he reached in and grabbed it.

"Hello?" Danny answered the phone.

"Who the hell is this?" the caller demanded.

"Uh, you called me" Danny clipped out, wondering who the caller is, "So you tell me?"

"Let me speak to her" the male voice asked harshly, not sugar coating any niceties.

"No," Danny stated, "Who the hell is this and why are you behaving so rudely? Where's your phone etiquette, prick?"

Shutting the phone off he shoved the black iPhone back in the purse and turned his gaze back to his girl.

Mia shimmied her hips, whirling around looking at the patrons but her gazed locked onto Danny's.

Slowly and sensuously moving forward, her dark knee length boots clicked on the hardwood floor while all male eyes landed on her creamy smooth white legs that seductively crossed each other while her lacy dark skirt slowly rode up.

Walking to Danny, Mia bit her lip with a sensuous manner, coyly batting her eyes at him while straddling him.

Holding in her grin, she leaned in whispering in his ear, "Hi sexy."

The brunette leaned forwards licking the shell of his ear then blowing on it before biting it in a playful manner making the man gasp at the pleasured pain. The brunette gyrated on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck pulling Danny into a fervent kiss.

"Mm" he moaned when he felt the sting of her biting his lip, "God, you're killing me."

"Not yet" Mia smirked, looking up at the sound of hooting and hollering, "You still want your dance, Danny?"

"God" the sandy haired man groaned, as she rotated her hips bringing contact to his obvious arousal.

"Someone's happy to see me" Mia murmured against his neck, nipping at the flesh, "Did you miss me?"

"All the time" he grunted, his hands grasping onto her waist while she playfully pulled out of his grip grabbing him with her.

"Come here" she murmured maneuvering him to a corner section of the bar, walking passed a group of gazing men but she ignored them. Including one shocked and very angry ex boyfriend, Hotch.

Shoving the aroused man towards the corner table, he took a seat while she grabbed onto the edge of the chair across from him swirling her hips while her shoulders moved side to side in a teasing manner.

Mia slithered down then back up, turning the chair around so that she could straddle it while her hands moved through the dark locks on her head. Pouting her red lips blowing Danny a kiss, she continued moving back and forth on the chair.

Once the music stopped she placed her elbow on the table, "Not my best work but if I want to avoid being arrested for indecent exposure I had to keep my clothes on this time."

Danny leaned in with a predatory grin on his face, "Since when do you care about being arrested? If memory serves correctly, you're the one who threw a tank top at me to go skinny dipping..."

"Like you didn't love it" Mia countered, looking over the smirk going off her face when she saw Hotch storm up to the table, "Shit."

"What?" Danny asked, looking up at the man approaching their table.

"What the hell was that?" Hotch asked, "And what are you doing here?"

"Having a good time" Mia retorted, turning away from Hotch and nuzzling her head on Danny's shoulder, "Why don't you do the same?"

"Emily" Hotch countered, "Where have you been, why haven't you been answering your phone... and what the hell are you wearing?"

"Out. Because it was annoying" she rolled her eyes, "And this is called an outfit."

Turning her head back to look at Danny, she grinned as she peppered his face with kisses, while Hotch reached over grabbing the brunette alter.

"Hey" Mia protested, "Hands off loser."

Danny reached over grabbing on Hotch's elbow, "Take your hands off her."

"FBI" the dark haired agent said, flashing his badge, "This is my agent and girlfriend..."

"Whoa, whoa back off there caveman" Mia said, pulling her arm from his grip, "I am no longer your girlfriend or agent. I've resigned from the BAU."

"What?" he demanded, "After fighting so hard to come back you're leaving?"

"Yes" Mia said, "It's not worth it, and you sure as hell aren't worth it either."

Hotch recoiled at the coldness of her tone, "Emily?"

Shooting him a glare, "Goodbye."

"You heard the lady" Danny said, picking up her hand turning it over kissing her wrist, "Leave."

"This isn't like you, Emily" Hotch said, while Danny frowned at the name, "What happened to you?"

"Three months, Hotch" she told him looking over at Danny, "Followed by seven months of hell, you tell me. Now beat it."

"But I love you" he told her, searching her eyes only to see empty ones staring back at him.

"That's not my problem" she told him, reflectively turning away from him.

"Millie?" he asked, realizing that the woman in front of him wasn't Emily, because even if she were this angry at him, she'd never be down right mean.

Mia narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, "Do I look like Millie to you?"

"You're certainly not Emily" he muttered, walking towards the exit, pulling out his cell phone.

The dark haired man's mind registering the last two days and kicking himself for not seeing it sooner.

"It's Hotch, we've got a problem..." he said, keeping his eyes trained on the brunette and her companion, "You need to get down... what? What happened to Beth?"

Hotch felt the wind get knocked out of him, hearing the attack on the dark haired curator but kept his eyes on Emily's alter coyly kissing the other man. He could feel her gaze land on him and she smugly looked at him while continuing kissing the other man.

"There's something you need to know..." Hotch told his partner on the phone, "It's about Emily."

The Unit Chief stood by watching as Emily, or the woman taking over Emily's body, dragged the sandy haired man out of the bar with her.

Letting out a frustrated, worried sigh he quietly followed the pair out. From what he heard on the phone and what he knew from watching her, there was no doubt that her alter had come back.

But this was different then the last time, he wasn't going to let her ask for help. He and the team were going to help her because when she realizes what she's done, there was no doubt that she was going to spiral off the deep end and possibly end up in jail.

And he wasn't going to let that happen.

* * *

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goal." Aristotle


	6. A Mind Of My Own

A Chinese Proverb said, "The beginning and the end reach out their hands to each other."

* * *

Mia giggled feeling Danny nip at her neck as the two walked through the parking lot, he kept pulling her flush to his body while the brunette emitted a dark chuckle at his instant demands.

"Mm" Mia murmured, stopping in place, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I can't wait to get to your home and..."

The sandy haired man released a groan as her soft but salacious words resonated through his ear like a freight train, "Really? Is that even legal?"

"Who gives a fuck?" Mia whispered darkly, nipping his ear, "I just want you under me now."

Pushing the outspoken brunette against the back of an SUV, Danny's hands roamed her hips moving upwards towards her breast kneading the roundness of her chest. His free hand moved downwards to the hem of her skirt.

Writhing beneath his warm touch she could feel herself losing control, she moved her boot covered leg around his hip bringing him closer to her heat.

"Fuck me now" she murmured, her breathy pants coming out, "Now Danny, now."

The man suckled on her neck moving down towards the tender flesh on her chest pausing at the edged skin of her branded skin. She never told him why she got a clover on her chest but he knew there was a story behind it, but he never questioned it because she'd most likely slug him and toss him out a window.

Lathering the skin with attention, his fingers crept to the hem of her silk panties ready to give her the pleasure he so enjoyed, when a blaring sound followed by several tire squeals pulled his hazed filled mind off the task.

"What the hell?" he murmured, seeing three black SUVs pull up while one very angry looking Hotch pulled the man off the panting woman, "Get your fucking hands off me."

He was startled when the man shoved him towards an athletic dark FBI agent, "Who the hell are you people?"

"Hotch?" Mia said in surprise, "What are you still doing here?"

"Save it" Hotch told her, "I know you're not her."

"Excuse me?" she asked, trying to keep in control while Emily fought for control.

"Emily Prentiss? Detective Stone" the detective said, pulling the startled angry brunette off the SUV, "You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Beth Clemmons."

 _'Attempted murder?'_ Emily demanded, _'Mia, what the fuck did you do?'_

"Excuse me?" Mia demanded, "First of all, I didn't attempt to kill anyone and second of all, I'm not going anywhere with you people."

"Emily?" JJ's softly called out, approaching the angry brunette, "Emily, it's me."

"I'm not blind, Barbie" Mia snark out, trying to pull out of Hotch's grip, "Get your damn hands off me caveman."

 _'Jesus, thank God'_ Emily exhaled, _'Now let them help us.'_

"I didn't do anything" Mia protested, while the detective read her the Miranda rights looking at Reid, "Hey, you kid. Tell these idiots I didn't try to kill anyone."

"Emily, let them help you" Hotch told her, looking her straight in the eye, "Everything's going to be ok."

"Does it look like everything's ok?" she demanded, "What is this, revenge for dumping you? Get over yourself."

The volatile brunette put up a protest as she was led to the squad car, she could hear Hotch and Dave negotiating the interview at Metro.

"Please she's sick" Reid protested, "She needs us."

Mia sat in the back of the squad car, grumbling as JJ took a seat in the back beside her, looking Emily's body over.

"Emily?" JJ whispered, "God, I'm so sorry we failed you again."

"Does it look like I care?" Mia snarled out, "Yo, NYPD blue move your fat tub of lard. Some of us have places to go, people to do."

JJ sniffled at that, looking out the passenger window as Hotch and Dave strolled pass toward the Bureau SUV. She shook her blonde hair, "She's not out."

"No freaking duh, Barbie" Mia muttered, she looked for Danny giving him a wink as the car headed off for the precinct.

The brunette alter sat in the squad room, glaring at the reflection that stared back at her in the two way mirror, "Quiet Emily, let Millie and me handle this."

 _'Handle what?'_ Emily asked, marching back and forth in the glass, _'Trying to kill Beth? Or nearly screwing some random guy on a car?'_

"Pfft, don't be jealous" Mia snorted, "So where is our little Gatekeeper?"

 _'Millie said she's coming up with a way to clean up your mess'_ Emily told her, _'That was an hour and a striptease ago_.'

Mia rolled her eyes, "Figures she'd go all librarian now."

 _'What?'_ Emily asked, _'Jesus can you both stop being so damn cryptic? You nearly kill someone and you decide to play mute?'_

"Don't worry about that" Mia told her, "I can guarantee you that if I'd gone after that interloping chipmunk, she'd be pushing up daisy with Doyle."

"Who's she talking to?" Stone asked, "I thought this multiple personality thing was some kind of scam to get out of an attempted murder wrap."

"She has two documented personalities on file" Dave told the detective, "Believe me when I tell you I wished this were a lie."

"So what is she, Sybil or something?" Stone asked, looking back at the older man, "What?"

"Actually Sybil was the pseudonym created by the author Flora Rheta Schreiber regarding Dr. Cornelia Wilbur's patient with multiple personalities, which is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder" Reid corrected, "The real "Sybil" was Shirley Ardell Mason who was raised by her parents and some have stated that Mason's mother was a schizophrenic."

"And this has what to do with Agent Prentiss?" Stone asked, "Look I'm not saying that D.I.D. isn't real but how do you know this wasn't some long ago planned attack?"

"Emily only met Beth a few days ago" Hotch told the detective, "Her D.I.D. has been recorded and documented during her admission to the Wellstone Facility well over three months ago."

"Dr. Rubin's on his way in" JJ said walking into the room, "Along with Dr. Merrill, our Bureau's psychiatrist."

"What did you do, Mia?" they heard the brunette cry out, "Answer me."

Turning their attention back to the stricken brunette, they were surprised to hear Emily's usually warm tone drop down a decimal.

"So sorry Princess" Mia's tone smirked, "I did what usually has to be done, but I ain't taking the fall for trying to whack a skank."

"Skank?" JJ asked frowning, she looked over at Hotch, "You told her that..."

Hotch's eyes shut at that, "God that's what she thought?"

"What?" the detective asked, confused, "Were you and Ms. Clemmons in a relationship?"

"Here's the thing..." Hotch started only for their attention to be drawn back to Emily.

"If I did something, which I did not" Mia slowly stated, "Who'd miss her anyways? She's basically a knock off version of you, Emmy."

 _'What do you mean?'_ Emily said, folding her arms across her chest in the mirror but all the team saw was Mia gloating at the mirror, _'Mia?'_

"Mia?" Hotch uttered, "Of course this is Mia's handiwork."

"What do you mean?" Stone asked, "How is Mia different from the other personality?"

"Millie's the Gatekeeper" Reid stated, "She's the one that will protect the host personality at all cost, while Mia is the one who'll take on the physical pain that can't be handled by Emily."

"So who attacked Beth Clemmons?" Stone asked, "Emily, Millie or Mia?"

"As the Gatekeeper, Millie's methods are usually to come up with plans and logistics" JJ stated, "She's the one that we had to deal with before when we figured out what was wrong with Emily. But we've never dealt with Mia before, we only heard about her from progress reports from Wellstone."

"So we know nothing?" Stone asked, "We've got a crime, we know who physically did it, just not which personality?"

"Maybe we can get her to talk" Morgan asked, "Figure out which alter committed the crime."

"But who will talk to her?" JJ asked, looking from the four male members of the team, "I mean Emily's close to all of you, but what about Mia?"

"Hotch should do it" Dave observed, "You broke through with Millie, maybe you can try with Mia."

Hotch looked from the disturbed woman screaming at the mirror to the team, "I can't. I just can't do this right now."

Backing away from the team, he rushed from the room leaving behind the stunned group.

"What do we do?" Reid asked, "She needs help."

"Maybe you should try" JJ asked, Morgan, "You two are close."

Morgan looked back, nodding, "All I can do is try."

Mia glared at the reflective image, then looked over when she saw the door open, "Thank God one of you has a brain. How about letting me out, Morgan?"

"We know, Mia" Morgan told the woman watching as she sat down on top of the metal desk, "We know you attacked Beth, neighbor's confirm seeing you arrive on her block."

"Neighbors?" Mia repeated reaching out to touch the man, "Well there's your first mistake Agent Morgan. You believed strangers over your best friend."

Morgan recoiled from the touch, "You're not my best friend."

"Uh" she placed her hand upon her chest, in mocked sadness, "I'm crushed."

"Mia" Morgan said, "Can we speak with Emily?"

Cocking her head to the side, she scanned her eyes up and down his muscular frame with a smirk. She slowly hunched forward with a smile on her lips, "Now is that really why you came in here, Derek?"

"Excuse me?" he asked, stunned by the change in demeanor.

"Oh there's no need to excuse you" she chuckled, pouting her lips, "So why did you really come in here?"

The agent was horrified to see the woman he cared about behaving so unlike herself, that he had to remind himself this wasn't Emily, this was Mia.

"You love Hotch" Morgan told her, "How can you do this to him?"

"I love Hotch?" Mia laughed, "Wrong girl, Muscle Man. I don't love Aaron Hotchner, and I'm pretty sure that Emily's doesn't either. I mean that is the reason why she let me out. But that's over now."

"You wanted to make sure that Hotch never forgave Emily, right Mia?" Morgan asked, "That why you attacked Beth."

"I didn't do anything to Beth" Mia answered with a raised eyebrow, "What do you take us for? Keep this up and Emily's never gonna want to come out."

Morgan contemplated that, but the one thing he knew about Emily was that she was a fighter, and if there was still a chance she was in there she'd fight to come back. He was sure of that.

"Knock it off, Mia" he told her, "I want to talk to Emily, let her out."

"Nope" she replied punctuating on the o, "That's not gonna happen, not on my watch."

"You're suppose to be protecting her, not destroying her" Morgan growled.

"Where's your head, Agent Morgan?" Mia sat up, her dark gaze landing on Morgan, "I've always protected her, had her back. Unlike you and your merry band of idiots, I never had her killed on my watch."

Morgan tensed at that, she may have not stated it but he knew from the inclination in her tone that she was to blaming him for Emily's near death.

"And we did what you couldn't do" Mia smirked, enjoying the discomfort she was causing him "Got rid of Doyle."

"Like you tried to get rid of Beth Clemmons?" Morgan asked.

Clicking her tongue, "Now you're trying to interrogate me?" shaking her head, "Not saying a word without a lawyer. We'll only need one, not three because I'm not letting her out, and I'm pretty sure Millie's not gonna let that happen either."

Seeing her unrelenting, he stormed out of the room while she called out, "Oh is the interview over? Ok, bye bye."

 _'Was that really necessary?'_ Emily asked, wiping her eyes.

"No, but it sure as hell was fun" Mia chuckled, "Oh quit your boo hooing, Princess. I'm doing this for you."

 _'No, you're not'_ Emily told her, _'You're doing it to save your own ass, not mine.'_

"Same ass, different alter" Mia shrugged, "Now be quiet and let me think."

 _'You suck'_ Emily muttered, trying to come up with her own plan.

Hotch leaned against the door of the D.C. police station, taking deep breaths. He knew that he should've seen this sooner. Now he felt like he not only failed Emily but Beth too.

Listening to the voice on the other side of his cell phone, he took a deep breath. This was worst then he imagined.

"There you are" Dave said walking out of the building to stand beside him, "We need you to try, Aaron. It's getting bad."

Hotch closed his cell phone, exhaling, "I just got off the phone with the hospital."

"How's Beth?" the older man asked, he was indeed worried for Hotch's friend but he was more concerned for their brunette agent.

"She's conscious" Hotch said, "There's no swelling to the brain, but from the blood loss, and the fact that she was attacked in her own home this can't be good. She's talking with the D.C. police."

"Jesus Aaron" Dave muttered, "This is already bad and now Emily will never forgive herself..."

"I know that" Hotch clipped out, feeling overwhelmed with everything. From the return of the alters, the break up, seeing Emily... Mia, with another man to the attack on Beth, "Sorry, I've just got a lot on my plate. What happened with Em... Mia."

"She hit on Morgan, denied attacking Beth but clammed up about the attack" Dave told him, watching Hotch's face cloud over, "Basically blamed Morgan and us for not protecting Emily the first time."

"Uh huh" Hotch said, following Dave back into the precinct, both headed back to the interrogation room, "Lets see what we've got to deal with now."

Hotch watched the brunette having an argument with herself, and no matter how angry he was at the whole situation he couldn't find it in himself to be angry with her, not when he felt nothing but remorse for the pain she was in. She didn't deserve this, hell no one deserved this.

 _'You can't do this, Mia'_ Emily said, _'You need to let me out and deal with this. All you're doing is avoiding the situation, you're not helping it.'_

"Yeah? Well that's too damn bad, Emily" Mia said, walking in front of the mirror, "Because I'm not going away and I sure as hell ain't taking a murder wrap either."

 _'Oh come off it,_ _Mia'_ Emily said, _'Out of the three of us, who is most likely a murderer? You, because I sure as hell didn't try to kill Beth and Millie's not the murdering type.'_

"Ha" Mia scoffed, "You think you've got it all figured out, huh? Talk and plead all you want, I'm not going away."

Hotch stood there watching the woman switch back and forth, pleading only for Mia to deny all access to the team.

 _'Damn it, Mia'_ Emily sighed, _'We're talking about my life here, and look where we've wound up.'_

"No, we're talking about my life" Mia told her, "You hear me? My life, not yours so just shut up and let me think."

They watched as the brunette turned away from the mirror laughing in Mia's cynical laughter that was far from Emily's usual but endearing sardonic tone.

 _'Mia!'_ the tone said in a aloof, detached manner that stunned even Detective Stone who had a hard time buying any of this.

When she turned around she growled in frustration.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me" Mia shouted, waving her hand in a dismissive manner, "Go away, Millie. No one wants you here, least of all Stone Cold."

 _'You've made such a mess of everything, Mia'_ Millie told her, shaking her head, _'I may have no use for Agent Hotchner, nor his romantic inclinations towards Emily, but as long as he made her happy I had no problem with that.'_

Hotch pursed his lips. He had always thought that, that alter hated him especially with her cutting sharp words when he first faced off with her, but she was nowhere as lethal as Mia was. That woman... alter, she was downright vicious.

 _'You made sure that Agent Hotchner watched you dance provocatively with Daniel, didn't you?'_ Millie told her, _'I find no use for love or emotions, since they're a waste of time, but you purposely sought your way out to decimate Emily's life and I told you, I will not allow that to happen.'_

"Won't allow that to happen?" Mia snorted, "Excuse me, but who was actually the one to formulate a plot against that woman, Beth? Not me."

Emily's head shot over to Millie, _'Millie? You didn't... did you?'_

 _'You needn't worry yourself with that, Emily'_ Millie told her dismissively, _'There's nothing to worry about...'_

 _'Excuse me? But my body committed a crime, so however this ends, I'm still the one that did it'_ Emily told the two, _'You both don't get it. I don't care what Beth was to Hotch, but going out of your way... what did you do?'_ she cried, _'What did you do?'_

 _'There is a time to discuss such matters'_ Millie told her, _'But this is hardly the occasion for such a moment. After all, your former colleagues and the local police are on the other side of this mirror watching us.'_

Mia's head shot over to the two way glass, and rolled her eyes, "Anyone gonna send in my lawyer now?"

 _'Mia, there's no need to not keep a civil tongue'_ Millie told her, _'After all we are guests in this precinct. Our jobs are to keep Emily in strict care, yet you've failed once again at that manner.'_

"I've failed?" Mia hissed out, "I'm not the one making her face a murder wrap."

 _'There are more pressing matters to discuss then the who did what to whom'_ Millie told her, smoothing down her dark locks that were pulled back, _'However this all started, it must come to an end, Mia. That means you have to give up being in control.'_

"As I told the Princess here" Mia said, "I'm not going anywhere, so you two can go scamper off into the dungeon because there's no way in hell I'm..."

The brunette quit her diatribe when the interrogation room opened, "What do you want?"

* * *

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goal." Aristotle


	7. Behind Door Number One

"None of us knows what the next change is going to be, what unexpected opportunity is just around the corner, waiting a few months or a few years to change all the tenor of our lives." Kathleen Norris

* * *

"I've failed?" Mia hissed out, "I'm not the one making her face a murder wrap."

_'There are far more pressing matters to discuss then the who did what to whom'_ Millie told her, smoothing down her dark locks that were pulled back, _'However this all came about, it must come to an end, Mia. That means you have to give up being in control.'_

"As I told the Princess there" Mia said, "I'm not going anywhere, so you two can go scamper off into that prisoned mind because there's no way in hell I'm..."

The brunette quit her diatribe when the interrogation room opened, "What do you want?"

"Hello Emily" Elizabeth Prentiss said, watching the younger brunette hop up on the table.

"Do I look like Emily to you?" Mia snapped, "Who the hell called you?"

"Emily" the older woman said, moving from the doorway to her, "Sweetheart..."

"Listen lady, I'm not your sweetheart and I'm sure as hell not your Goddamn daughter" Mia told her, "So save the parenting for the cameras, because you are no parent of mine."

_'Mia!'_ Millie cooly said, _'Unless you want to spend the next six months chugging down Valium and Tranquilizers you'd better let me handle this.'_

"Fat chance, Millie" Mia smirked, watching Emily's mother pale at the uncaring manner of the woman in her daughter.

"Can you tell me your name then?" Elizabeth asked.

"You can call me Mia" Mia told her, narrowing her eyes at the older woman.

Mia knew that she may not be a profiler like Emily, but she could tell that the woman was wary of her, on edge. That didn't bother her, but she was worried that the Ambassador would try to lock her up. After all she was Emily's next of kin.

"Mia" Elizabeth repeated, "May I please speak with my daughter?"

"Since when are you interested in trying to play Mother of the Year, Lizzie?" Mia scoffed.

"I love my daughter" Elizabeth told Mia, "I may have never shown it, not when it counted, but I've always loved you, Emily."

"Listen that's very sweet" Mia said, leaning in then whispered, "But Emily's not home now."

The Ambassador's heart broke for the daughter that she did love, but failed when it mattered in favor of her career, "Emily? Emily listen to me, I know you're in there..."

Mia whirled around facing the mirror, "Look, Mommie Dearest, whatever your planning? It's not going to work, so just knock that out of your..."

Despite her reservations Elizabeth pulled Mia into her arms, "Emily, I know you're still in there. Listen to me, I love you."

_'Mom?'_ Emily called out, fighting her way out, _'Mom, I'm still in here...'_

"Emily, listen to me" the older woman cried out shaking her daughter, "I love you. You hear me? I love you."

"Shut up!" Mia screamed, "Shut up, shut up, shut up."

Wrapping her arms around the protesting brunette, she held the daughter she loved close to her, "It's all right, Emily. I'm here. I'm here."

The brunette fought to get out of the older woman's arms, "Leave me alone."

_'Mom'_ Emily called out, _'Mom...'_

"Please remove yourself from me" a cold voiced clipped out startling Elizabeth.

"Emily?" Elizabeth asked, holding hope in her heart that she reached her daughter.

"Wrong again, Ambassador Prentiss" the detached brunette answered disentangling herself from Emily's mother, "Emily's in too much of an emotional distraught at the moment and Mia's a bit unpredictable right now."

"And you are?" Elizabeth asked wiping away her tears as she looked into the mirror knowing that her daughter's worried team was watching on in their own heartache.

"Millie" Millie answered, "Now lets talk about a deal, Ambassador."

Elizabeth watched Millie climb off the table, taking a seat and folding her hands in front of her in a prim fashion, "Please Ambassador, take a seat, there's not much time."

Elizabeth took a seat across from the alter, watching as she got down to the brass taxes of things. Some of the woman's aloof behavior reminded Elizabeth of her own self, especially while working.

Hotch stood beside Dave listening to the professional, yet clipped tone of the woman he cared about. He was relieved that Emily's mother was able to shove the volatile personality back in, but wished that it were Emily that re-emerged, not Millie.

"Why didn't Emily tell me that all this was happening?" Elizabeth asked the Gatekeeper, "I mean if I had been there I could've helped her, lent my support."

"That's irrelevant now" Millie told her, "The fact of the matter is, your daughter is in a predicament. One that needs immediate rectification."

"You mean the attack on that Clemmons woman?" Elizabeth asked, looking over at the two-way mirror.

"Focus Ambassador" Millie instructed the older woman, "For every course of action, there has been an obstacle in the way of achieving the ultimate goal."

_'What goal?'_ Emily shouted, _'I just want out.'_

"Tell me what will it take for you to let Emily out?" Elizabeth asked, "That's all we want is Emily out, and to find out who hurt that woman."

"That's the thing" Millie started, "I have no issue speaking about the attempt on Ms. Clemmons life, however I'd like to speak with her."

_'Are you out of your freaking mind?'_ Mia hissed out, _'Wasn't it bad enough snitching? You want to go all out there and get us all locked up for life?'_

_'Welcome to hell'_ Emily called out, watching the angered brunette march over to the window, _'Not so fun being locked up, huh?'_

_'Shut up'_ Mia said, _'This is all your fault.'_

_'My fault?'_ Emily sauntered over _'Excuse me, but if this is anybody's fault, its yours. You're the one who attacked Beth and oh... locked me up. This is all your fault Mia, not mine.'_

"You want to speak with Beth Clemmons?" Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow, "Why?"

"To settle some unfinished business" Millie told the older woman, "That'll be the only way I can ensure Emily's safety. As I've stated many a times, my only job is to ensure that the host personality remains in tact."

Hotch looked over at Morgan, nodding at the man to make the call to check on Beth, he sighed watching the darker man leave with his cell phone attached to his ear.

"What are you going to do, Aaron?" Dave asked, "If we let Beth see Emily, it could open a whole new can of worms..."

"And if we don't let her see Beth, Emily could be gone for good" JJ finished, looking at both men, "This is the only choice we've got to get her back."

"I know" Hotch sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a hard decision to make.

What kind of reaction would Beth have to this whole situation, and how would this affect both women. He didn't want this to set either one of them back in a negative way. But either way this was going to end badly.

"Well, we'll have to see if Agent Hotchner will make that deal" Elizabeth told her daughter's alter, "But the final decision will have to be up to him."

"Agent Hotchner can be a sensible man, in some aspects," Millie told the older woman, "But this is arraignment is not up for negotiations. If he wants to barter for something then he can speak with me face to face but I'm confident in knowing that he'll make any agreement to ensure Emily's future."

Elizabeth looked over at the glass nodding her head, then turning back to Millie, "I'll speak with him."

"Well, Ambassador, as unfortunate as the circumstances were that we had to meet under such unhappy occasion, it was a pleasure doing business with you" Millie nodding her head then looking straight at the mirror in an immobile state.

Morgan came back in, looking somewhat relieved but disturbed, "Beth's going to be fine. She agreed to meet with Emily but in a neutral place."

"At least that's a start" JJ said watching the brunette stare at the glass, "That's the least we can hope for."

_'Millie? Millie?'_ Emily called out, _'They'll agree to it, now let me out.'_

"All in due time, Emily" Millie murmured, "All in due time."

The brunette sat there, not caring how she looked, only waiting for the time to pass then looked up at the sight before her.

Hotch stood in the doorway, watching with pain in his eyes.

"May I assume that you're standing there because you've come to an agreement about the exchange?" Millie asked.

"Yes" Hotch answered softly, "But I need something before Beth comes in."

"And that would be?" Millie asked watching the man slowly walk over to the table, looking at her, "You wish to speak with Emily, I take it?"

Hotch sat down across from Millie, "Yes, I would."

Millie contemplated this, then took a deep breath, "She can hear you, and I can play the go between for the two of you, but I won't allow her out until after I speak with Ms. Clemmons."

"Are you sure?" he asked, eyeing the woman before him for a trace of deceit or misleading him.

"When you're locked up inside, depending on which one of us is out" Millie started, "You can choose what the others hear or see, and let me assure you that Emily did not know about Beth's attack or Mia's male companion from the bar."

"Danny" Hotch said, trying to quell his temper. That was something he never wanted to see again, his Emily in the arms of another man.

"Yes, I was preoccupied with other pressing matters when Mia decided to take a side trip" Millie told him, "So go on and ask your questions."

"Does she know what happened to Beth?" Hotch asked.

"Yes, she does and she's not pleased that your friend was harmed" Millie answered, "She adamantly was opposed to it, but Mia shut her out so the last thing Emily witnessed was Ms. Clemmons answering her front door."

"Is she all right?" Hotch asked.

"She's having trouble accepting the fact that her physical being laid harm on another," Millie told him, "But I'm sure with the proper guidance and reassurance that you and your compatriots don't despise or fear her, then she can get through this."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Hotch asked, "I mean you don't even like me. I remember our last encounter."

"While it is true that I find love and emotions taxing and a waste of valuable time" she told him, "But it doesn't matter to me, because my only job and concern is for Emily's well-being and for some reason you make her happy, so your concern and gratitude are unimportant to me."

"How kind of you" Hotch muttered.

"This is what Emily wants" Millie told him, "She wants me to answer your questions truthfully, and you're very lucky that I am out instead of Mia because there is no doubt that she would either run or allow Emily to take the fall for this crime."

"So Mia attacked Beth?" Hotch asked.

Millie looked off to the left, seemingly listening to something, "What? What's Emily saying?"

"Emily's not speaking, Mia is" Millie replied, "Seriously Mia? You know I'm smarter than that."

"What's she saying?" Hotch asked.

"Mia thinks that I'm even more crazy than her and Emily combined for making this deal" Millie told him, "Mia never was one to put others first, even when we had to deal with the fallout from Ian Doyle. She wants what she wants and only contributed her services after making a deal."

Hotch sighed, "So are you going to tell me?"

"I can tell you of the three of us, I'm the more practical one" Millie told Hotch, "Mia's the vicarious one, while Emily... she's the combination of both of our qualities" taking a deep breath she sat up straight in a professional demeanor, "From what I understand, people say things in the heat of the moment and soon get over it, correct?"

"Sometimes" he answered, growing frustrated with Millie.

"Well, when Emily met your lady companion from the park" Millie started, "After overhearing you and your former sister-in-law talking about her, Emily grew jealous and afraid."

"Oh God" Hotch murmured, "Emily did it, didn't she?"

"No" Millie told him cooly, "She was understandably under stress and concerned about her place in yours and your son's life, so she unknowingly allowed Mia out."

Covering his mouth with his hand, "Beth isn't a girlfriend or..."

"That's none of my concerned" Millie cut him off, "You should've explained yourself and that situation to Emily."

Shooting her a look, "Go on."

"Once Mia was let loose" Millie said, "Well you know that she's unpredictable at best, and though she'd rather be left alone to have her own brand of fun, she wanted to remove that obstacle from her life."

"I thought Mia didn't care about what happened to Emily?" he asked.

"She thought she was helping in her backwards attempt" Millie said, "And as asinine as her failed planning was, I thought it rather showed off her ingenuity."

"Excuse me?" Hotch asked horrified, a realization dawning on him, "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Agent Hotchner" Millie admitted unapologetic, "I took over Mia's failed attempt. It appears she didn't have the spine to follow through. I was rather more kind than Mia would've been, she planned to leave Beth for dead."

_'Told you I didn't do it'_ Mia shouted out, looking at Emily, _'I only shoved her and threw in a good couple of punches.'_

"You hit her with a fire poker over thirty-seven times and you think that was kinder?" Hotch asked disgusted with this alter.

"Well yeah" Millie told him, "It would've been easier than dumping her in the Potomac like Mia wanted."

A knock on the interrogation door pulled the man from his horrified gaze.

"Beth's here" Morgan said, opening the door for the battered brunette, who looked at Emily in fear.

* * *

"To love is to risk being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing." Author Unknown


	8. Closing Pandora's Box

"It's hard to face tomorrow, but it's easier then facing no tomorrow." Ashleigh Brilliant

* * *

Beth stood warily in the doorway of the interrogation room. Her head was in pain along with the rest of her body but she could tell that the woman staring back at her wasn't the same woman from the park.

That woman held malice and glee in her eyes, when she shoved her back into her home. But this woman, this young dark-haired woman sitting in the sterile room with a blank look on her face, this was the one who attacked her.

"They said you wanted to see me?" Beth said, watching Hotch give the younger woman a glance before leaving, silently instructing an officer to stand by the two-way mirror.

"Yes, I do" Millie said with a professional nod of the head, "Please take a seat, we need to talk."

The injured woman slowly moved towards the empty seat across from her, not missing the way that Morgan cuffed her to the desk, "For your own safety and hers."

Nodding, she felt somewhat relieved at that. She'd been told by a few of the hospital staff and Detective Stone that Emily was sick. But she needed to see it first hand.

"How are you feeling?" Beth asked, "They said you were..."

"I am fine" Millie said without a trace of emotion, "Emily, however, isn't."

"What's wrong with her?" Beth asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Dissociative Identity Disorder" Millie answered, stunning the woman silent, "That's when the host personality splinters off into alters, and I am one of them. The Gatekeeper."

"Gatekeeper?" Beth repeated, "What's a Gatekeeper?"

"A Gatekeeper is the most powerful alter there is" Millie told her, "We are the ones that keep everything balance, making sure everyone and everything in check. As the Gatekeeper I maintain control between Emily and Mia..."

"Mia?" Beth asked, "She's the one from the park?"

"Yes, you did encounter Mia at the park and when we came to your home earlier this evening" Millie told her, "You have every right to be upset by the actions of the assault, but there's no need to blame Emily for this incident."

"Incident?" Beth repeated, pointing to the bruised side of her face, "You call this an incident?"

"It's understandable that you are angry with Emily" Millie commented, lacing her fingers together, "And despite the fact that you want revenge by seeing her locked up in prison..."

Beth took a deep breath, eyeing the brunette alter warily, "I don't want revenge."

"Of course you do" Millie told her, "Every person holds some aspect of anger in within themselves after they've felt slighted or wronged. Humans are very emotional beings."

"I don't want revenge" Beth repeated, "And yes people are emotional, but I'm not speaking about wanting revenge or justice, that's beyond the point now. This is about what's right and wrong."

"Yes to a certain extent there is right and wrong" Millie said, "But as I said, Emily had nothing to do with your attack."

"Yes, I know" Beth told her, "And I do believe that. But this isn't just about me, this is about Emily. She's sick, and needs help."

"I'm glad that we both see that then" Millie told her, "Because she clearly is in dire need of professional help."

Beth looked over at the two-way mirror, and knew that she was being watched. Remembering what she had been instructed by Hotch's team and the detectives, "Will you let her out to get the help she needs?"

"When the time is right, I will" Millie told her, "But we're not done with our conversation. I know you hate her, especially since you're seeing Agent Hotchner..."

"I don't hate Emily" Beth told her, "I just want her to get better. That's all any of us want, is for you to get better."

Millie turned around looking at the two-way mirror, "I know that, and I know what you're trying to do, Ms. Clemmons but we're going to have this conversation."

"What?" Beth asked, "I'm not trying to do anything, none of this is Emily's fault."

"Don't worry, Ms. Clemmons" Millie told her, "I'm not offended, after all its only natural to fear someone who caused you great harm."

"Great" Beth murmured.

"No one blames you for not thinking straight," Millie exclaimed, "After all, one can not comprehend why one is attacked but I assure you that I mean you no harm now. If Mia hadn't behaved in such a reckless manner I wouldn't have had to take over to clean up her mess."

"You" she said, "I remember it was you."

The two women locked eyes, and earlier in the evening played out in the unstable woman's mind, showing the two locked in personalities what really happened.

Mia shoved the stunned older woman on to the floor, smirking as she closed the door.

"Emily?" Beth groaned, her back sore from the fall, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Do I look like Emily to you?" Mia snorted, picking up a large wooden handled, multi-colored umbrella, "Tacky."

"What do you want?" Beth asked, crawling backwards away from the unstable woman, towards the oak desk her telephone was on, "Why are you here?"

The hostile personality walked towards the woman stomping her black heeled boot down on the woman's wrist hearing her cry out in pain, "Like I said, we need to talk."

"About what?" Beth cried out, holding her injured arm close to her chest, "Aaron's not here and he won't be happy that you're doing this to me."

That made Mia knock the brunette in the face with the handle of the umbrella, "Shut up."

Beth's free hand went up to her aching cheek bone, already feeling the sting from the bruise that will soon to be there, "Stop please just go. I promise I won't tell."

Mia leaned forward, "I just don't believe you, and you've caused enough damage for Emily."

That made the pained woman look over at the other woman, and she recognized something was off with her when her eyes squeezed shut and she was muttering to herself.

The injured woman took this as her opportunity, rolling on her stomach she tried crawling away only to meet with the brunt end of a candlestick holder, feeling a rush of warmth hit her face before landing face first upon her dark carpet.

Even in her hazing state she could hear a detached voice say, "It had to be done, Mia."

Snapping out from her memory, Beth looked across to the same face that hit her despite which personality was in charge.

"I don't want to see you go to prison, Emily" Beth told her, "You need serious help and I don't think being locked up there is will do any good."

"Playing the martyr" Millie said, "How noble, I'm sure Agent Hotchner will find that commendable."

"That's why you asked to see me, right?" Beth asked watching the woman warily, "To make sure I won't press charges, right? You win."

"As generous as that is," Millie told her, "That was one of the reasons, the other is about Agent Hotchner and your relationship."

"This is some sort of countermeasure to make sure that I'll keep my word?" Beth asked, "When I give my word, I keep it. I just want to make sure Emily's helped. I have no designs on Aaron. All we are, he and I are friends, you don't have to worry about anything else. Just let Emily out."

"We'll take it under advisement" Millie said, lifting up her handcuffed hands to smooth down her hair, "Thank you for stopping by."

Beth watched the woman shut down, and slowly got up, moving towards the door she passed by Hotch whispering to him before leaving.

"Has the doctor arrived yet?" Millie asked, "I'd rather like to either be put back in lock up or transferred to the local hospital."

"He's outside talking with Emily's mother" Hotch told her, "Well, we held up our end of the bargain, when are you going to let Emily back out?"

"In awhile, she's resting" Millie told her, "So I assumed you were listening in on my conversation with Ms. Clemmons?"

"You assumed correctly" Hotch answered, "Mia started the assault, but you finished it."

"Yes" Millie replied, "I'm not one to get my hands dirty but I did what I felt was necessary and I had to take over for Mia, because she wouldn't have stopped with just the beating."

"It wasn't just a beating, Millie" Hotch said, trying to reign in his temper, "You nearly killed her."

"She lived" Millie said, "Feeling any guilt is a waste of time, Agent Hotchner, not with other pressing matters at the forefront."

"What pressing matters?" he asked.

"I told you as the Gatekeeper that my only function was to keep everything in balance" Millie reminded him, setting her hands on the table, "To ensure that the host personality remained in tact, and with Mia's reemergence at the sight of Ms. Clemmons, and the subsequent break up and attack, not to mention the surprise appearance of Daniel..."

"Where are you going with this?" he interrupted.

"Mia's actions have consequences, along with my own" Millie told him, "But Emily shouldn't have to pay for our transactions. I just want to entail this before Dr. Merrill makes her appearance."

"You don't want her to pay for the two of yours mistakes" Hotch commented, "We all understand that, none of us really blame her for the mess you and Mia made. But you already know that."

"Then you know where I'm going with this conversation" Millie said, "I need to know if you are going to abandon Emily after I leave?"

Hotch sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He looked at the two-way mirror motioning that this discussion wasn't for viewing.

"Shall I take that silence as a 'no'?" Millie asked, "Because the last few months at Wellstone were rough for Emily, and she had to work on being self-reliant again."

"Emily's a strong woman" Hotch told the woman, "She doesn't need to rely on anyone, she's handle herself well for years."

"No she hasn't" she told him, "We've always been there for her, just under the surface. Bits and pieces of myself and Mia, though Mia tried to take more than give."

He sat there listening to the woman give him the rundown on the two different alters, when he finally interrupted, "I'm not giving up on her if that's what you're wondering but this conversation needs to be between me and Emily, not you and I..."

"What I want to know is, if you can forgive her?" Millie asked, "Emily may be a strong person but I can hear the doubt that she'll be forgiven for Mia's actions."

"And yours as well" Hotch bit out, he did want to have this conversation just not with this alter, "Beth will recover and she doesn't want Emily arrested anymore then any of us."

"I'm not asking about Ms. Clemmons, I'm asking about you" Millie said, "It would be logical if you can't extend any forgiveness towards Emily for harming your friend."

"I don't blame Emily for Mia's or your actions" Hotch repeated, "No one does, none of us are heartless."

"As usual I have to do everything" Millie replied, listening in on the protests of Mia but Emily's soft words were reaching her, "Do you love her?"

"Of course I do" Hotch whispered, "I've always loved her."

"Practicality is more effective than inefficiency" Millie murmured to herself, reflectively thinking, "Emotions are based on a conscious human reaction directed at a specific target or goal..."

"Emily?" he asked, he could see the cold woman relaxing and her shoulders lowering, "Emily, can you hear me?"

Grasping her had with her free hand, she lowered her face to the table, a light moan escaping her lips.

"Hotch?" a soft voice asked, raising her head his dark eyes meeting soft ones "What happened?"

"Emily, is that you?" he asked, seeing her nod "What do you remember?"

"It's me" the brunette whispered, biting her lip as a lone tear slid down her cheek, "God, what did they do?"

"What do you remember?" he asked, leaning forward placing his warm hand on her cheek thumbing away the tear, "Sweetheart."

"The park" she sniffled, "The last real solid memory is the park" Exhaling, her eyes sliding closed, "And Jack."

He frowned, "Nothing else?"

"Why am I in a police station?" Emily asked her eyes widening as she took in her surroundings, "It was Mia, right? Hotch, what did she do?"

Emily paused mid sentence, her eyes widening in fear as she sob rang out from the horrified realization on her face, "God what did I do?"

"Shh" Hotch murmured, moving the metal chair close to her, pulling her into a hug, "Emily everything's going to be alright now."

"No it isn't" she said, he could hear the unshed tears in her voice, "I... oh God, is Beth alright?"

"She's fine" he told her wrapping an arm around her frame, "She's fine."

"Oh God, she must hate me" she wiped her face, "And you too, she's your friend."

"Emily, you did nothing wrong" he said, lifting her face to meet his, "None of this was your fault, you hear me? You are not to blame."

She felt him press a kiss to her forehead, "How can you forgive me? I can't even forgive myself, not after..."

"Emily listen to me" he told her tilting her chin up to look in her eyes, "I love you, you hear me? I love you."

Sniffling, she gave him a watery smile, "I love you too, Aaron."

Dropping a kiss on to her cheek, he inhaled, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"Believe me, I know" she whispered resting her head against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat was music to her ears, "I think you're going to have to bring in Richard, I'm ready to talk to him."

"That's the thing," he started watching her pull back, "Your Mother's out there talking with Dr. Rubin, and..."

"Oh yeah" she whispered taking a deep breath, "I know where this is going."

The two looked up as the door opened, "Emily?"

"Mom?" she said, biting her lower lip as the older woman rushed forward pulling her daughter into her arms, "Mom."

"My sweet girl" Elizabeth whispered soothingly, running her hands along Emily's back in a comforting manner, "I'm here, Emily."

Hotch quietly walked out of the interrogation room, leaving the mother to comfort her distraught daughter. Walking towards the two-way mirror he saw that his team had given the duo privacy and walked over to Dave who was speaking to the two doctors.

"I never thought that she'd fall apart so quickly" Richard said, peering in the glass, "She was making tremendous progress, I don't know how this could've happened."

"You never saw any signs of violence?" JJ asked accusingly, her best friend was in pain and she felt this doctor let her down, "I mean you treated her for nearly four months, what did you see?"

The older man shot her a look, "There weren't any clear signs of the two alters after she checked in."

"I noticed from your notes that you did hypnosis to draw out Mia and Millie to speak to them" Dr. Merrill said, "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Drawing them out after they had been inactive?"

Hotch shot the man a look, "I'll be speaking with Emily and her mother about her treatment, but needless to say she won't be checking back in under your care. Dr. Merrill, may I speak with you?

"Certainly" the older woman followed him to the other side of the room, both speaking in a low tone.

Richard stood there dumbfounded, he couldn't believe that these agents, Emily's family could just dismiss him like that. Looking around he noticed that the group was preoccupied and wandered over to the door slowly opening it.

Emily sniffled looking up, "Richard?"

"Emily" the male doctor greeted, slowly coming into the room, he nodded to Emily's mother, "Dr. Richard Rubin, Emily's doctor from Wellstone."

"Elizabeth Prentiss" the concerned mother narrowed her eyes, "Emily's mother."

The older woman watched as the doctor maneuvered himself from the doorway into the small interrogation room taking a seat opposite the mother and daughter watching, gauging them for a response.

"What are you doing in here?" Emily asked Richard after several minutes, "I thought they said I was going to speak to Dr. Merrill?"

"Do you not want me as your doctor anymore?" he asked, searching her dark eyes, "Because if you're uncomfortable or wish for another psychiatrist then that'll be fine."

"I don't know" she said, "I think that..."

"Sweetheart" Elizabeth interjected, not liking the interaction between the doctor and her daughter, "I think it'd be for the best if you solely see Dr. Merrill. Now, doctor if you'd follow me out?"

"Mom?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'll be right back, sweetheart" Elizabeth said, giving Emily a reassuring smile and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

The brunette sat there watching her mother and doctor leave, turning to the two-way mirror, she prayed that this time that she could stay fully integrated because she didn't know how much damage Mia and Millie caused in her absence and she felt way too guilty for the pain they inflicted. She just hoped it wasn't too much for the team.

Hotch looked up seeing Ambassador Prentiss storm out of the room followed by Dr. Rubin and that made the man narrow his eyes, he specifically ordered that the male doctor not be allowed in to see Emily. Quickly moving over he heard the tale end of their conversation.

"And you will not go near my daughter again, do you hear me?" she finished. That made the Unit Chief proud, that Emily's mother was really here for her this time.

"I think this decision should be left up to Emily" Richard stated, "After all this treatment is for her, not for her loved ones."

"I disagree" Dr. Merrill approached, "The main focus is Emily, but if we want her to be successfully integrated then everyone needs to be in agreement that she is the one that should be our main concern not everyone's thought as to what is best for her."

"You stay away from my daughter" Elizabeth turned on her heel, "Dr. Merrill can you please follow me?"

Hotch turned back to the male doctor, "You heard Ambassador Prentiss, I believe your no longer needed here."

Speaking quietly with his team, Hotch informed the detective in lieu of the assault charges regarding Beth's attack that they'd have Emily sent in for treatment and the charges would be dropped pending a doctor's authorization and approval.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" JJ asked Hotch and Dave, "I mean we thought the last time that she'd been fully integrated, what if this time it doesn't work again?"

"All we can do is hope" Dave said, "We can't just give up on her, and besides I never got a good vibe from that Richard guy."

"Seemed more like he was trying to be her friend then her doctor" Morgan said, "He failed her this time, we're not going to let that happen again."

"How long do you think she'll be gone for this time?" Reid asked, his heart breaking for his friend.

"It's hard to say" Hotch answered watching the door open, "But we're not giving up on her ever."

"Come on, sweetheart" Elizabeth murmured, wrapping an arm around Emily's shoulder keeping her close while she looked over at Hotch with desolation in her eyes.

Stone came over to Dave passing him the signed file, "The Commissioner signed off on the transfer, she's free to go."

Dave quietly thanked the detective, while keeping an eye on the two brunettes who shared a look before she was escorted out of the precinct with her mother and psychiatrist.

Emily sat in her room at Healing Touch Facility reading her latest letter from her mother updating her on the latest gossip when she heard a knock on the door, "Come in."

"You have a phone call in the lounge, Emily" the nurse informed the brunette, "You have ten minutes before your session with Dr. Merrill."

"Thanks" she said, walking over to the lounge, taking a seat on the bench next to the phone, "Hello?"

"Emmy!" a playful voice called out, "Hi."

"Hey Jack" the brunette smiled, hearing the boy's boisterous laughter warmed her heart, "Where's your Dad?"

"Right here" Hotch's voice called out, "We miss you."

"Yeah" Jack agreed, "Did you get my drawing?"

"I did, sweetie" Emily said, "And it's a masterpiece."

"Buddy let me talk to Emily for a minute, ok?" she heard him tell Jack, and she held her breath, "Ok."

"Hotch?" she said, biting her lip, "Are you there?"

"God I miss you" he told her, "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, I'm doing really good" she told him resting her head against the wooden booth, "How about you guys? The team?"

"We're doing good" Hotch told her, "We all miss you, and can't wait for when you come back."

"Me too" she told him, "I just can't wait to see everyone again. How's uh..."

"Beth?" he finished, he knew she still felt guilty even though she had no reason to, "Last I heard she's doing better. She moved to New York to take over a curating position."

"Good for her" she said relieved, "Oh, I'm getting a dirty look from my shadow about my session. I'll call you, and you can tell everyone thank you for the multiple care packages."

"They just want to make sure you're well taken care of" he told her.

"Yeah Garcia's pictures of Sergio and Twinkies have made me real popular" she teased, "I'll talk to you soon?"

"Count on it" he said, hearing her whisper a goodnight, "I love you."

The brunette placed the receiver on the cradle with a smile on her face, "I love you too."

Emily followed her nurse to the office looking down at the picture of her and the team, smiling. Her family.

She wasn't going to fail them this time. She had a lot to fight for this time and she wasn't going to give up without a fight.

* * *

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." Mahatma Gandhi

* * *

 


End file.
